Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-07-27
Hon. K. NJ. T. Hunter.
Richmond Dispatch |

Hardly has the echo of Virginia. threnody
over the grave of Ex-Governor William
Smith died away when she is called upon to
mourn another ilustrious son. Another
great man has fallen in the Commonwealth.
Hon. Robert Mercer Taliaferro Hunter,
patriot and statesman, than whom Nc other
man of his day held the public gaze to
greater degree, died at his home, in Essex
county, Monday. Hon. r. M. T. Hunters
last look was upon the scenes that had been
familiar to him from his earliest recollection.
He was born in Essex county. April 81, 1909.
He graduated at the University of Virginia,
studied law, and was admitted to the bar
in 1880. He soon, however, became prom
inent in politics, and as early as 1884 was
elected to the lower house of the Virginia
Legislature. In 1887 he stood for and was
returned to the United States House of Re-
representatives., and from that time until the
| breaking out of the late civil war was what
may be termed national figure. In 1889
he was chosen Speaker of the House. lie
| was defeated in 1843 By the Hon. Will
oughby Newton, but in 1915 was again re-
| turned, and in 1916 was chosen senator in
| Congress from Virginia, taking his seat in
December, 1947. He was Immediately
placed upon the Committee on Finance, be-
came the chairman of the committee in 1850,
and served in that position until he left the
Senate at the commencement of hostilities
between the States. He was three times
honored by Virginia by election to the Sen
ate, and all through his career in that body
and in the lower house reflected honor upon
her. To attempt history of his career in
the National Legislature would be to at
tempt history in great part of the most
important questions that came before the
country during the period from 1887 to
1861. Mr.. Hunter came to the front and
began making AN impression Immediately
upon entering Congress. Hs was man of
broad culture, of philosophic caste of mind,
and of strong common sense. His name is
associated with many Of the most import
ant debates that ever took place in either
House. He was ever sentinel at the doors
of the ark of the Constitution. He spoke
as one conscious of mastery of every sub
ject he touched, and never failed to COM
mand respectful attention. He was con-
| sentative, but firm, aud these traits told in
many d season of heated discussion that
preceded the climax of 1861. In 1860 Mr..
Hunter was prominent candidate for the
Democratic nomination to the presidency,
and at the convention at Charleston receiv-
ed on severarballots the next highest vote
to that fol Mr.. Douglass. His popularity
and prominence were such that his friends
claimed that had he received the ncmina-
ton be could have united the Democracy
and that the war~ould have at least been
deferred. When Virginia seeded Mr.. Hun
| ter cast his lot with his native State, and
served the Confederacy as faithfully and
conscientiously as he had the United States.
| At one time his name was associated with
| the office of President of the Confederacy
| He succeeded Toombs as Confederate Sec
rotary of State, was in turn succeeded by
| Judah P. Benjamin, and was subsequently
elected to the Confederate States Senate
| from Virginia. He was q member of the
commission-his associates being Messrs
Stephens and Campbell which met Presi-
dent Lincoln and Mr.. Seward on vessel
in Hampton Roads in February, 1865, and
upon his return from that futile conference
presided at a meeting in this city, at which
resolutions were passed declaring in effect
| that the Confederacy would never disarm
until independence had been achieved -
| When the proposition was brought before
| the Confederate Congress to enlist negroes
as soldiers, those thus enlisted to be given
their freedom, Mr.. Hunter at first voted
against it. He subsequently,, however,
| voted for it on the ground that the Vir-
ginia Legisture had Instructed him so to
| do, but accompanied his affirmative vote
with vigorous protest against the measure
! He said: "When we left the old Govern
ment we thought we had got rid forever of
the slavery agitation. We insisted that
Congress had no right to interfere with
slavery. We contended that whenever the
two races were thrown together one must
be master and the other slave We insist
ed that slavery was the best and the hap
piest condition Of the negro. Now, if we
offer slaves their freedom as a boon we con-
TESS that we were insncere and hypociitical
Ii the negroes are made soldiers they must
be made freemen. If we can make them
soldiers we can make them officers, perhaps
to command white men. If we are right
IN this measure we were wrong in denying
to the old Government the right to inter
fere with the institution of slavery and TO
eEancipate slaves.'
At the close of the war be was arrested
by the United States authorities, but was
shortly afterwards paroled. He accepted
the situation by retiring to his farm in
Essex county, where he remained culivat-
ing the land with his own hands until cali
ed TO take the treasurership of Virginia. -
He held no public position after leaving
this latter Office. In personal appearance
Mr.. Hunter was short and thick-set, and
when his face was in repose his underjaw
dropped in a manner that was not at all pre-
possessing and suggested Incidence. But
when aroused and Interested he was the
embodiment of sturdy resistance and intel
lectual force, and listening senates hang
upon his tongue. Hs carried Virginia in
his hearts core--aye in his heart of hearts. !,
He was big. hearted, big-hrained, brase,
and true. Hs vas a Vlrginian of Vir-
ginienH. whose oaaia will ever shias a pure
and brilliant ws1a Ia bis mothers c..rraet. !
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